Percussion-fuse for shells or projectiles.



F. DAVIES.

Picusslon FusE fos sHfLLs 0R PRoJEclLEs.

Arrncmou ,msu m. 24. ma.

1,302,902. A l Pand Mays, 1919;.

Ww rw y FRANCIS DAviEs, or PROVIDENCE, RHonEpIsLANn, AssIGNon To NATHAN MANUFAC- g iinrrnn sfiATns 'PATENT onirica.

TUBING- COMPANYQOF FLUSHING, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS DAvnis, a citizen of the United States, residing at 19 Fisher street, Providence, in the county of .Brovidence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Percussion-Fuses for Shells or Projectiles, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in percussion fuses for shells or projectiles and is an improvement in that class of fuses known inthe art as inertia operated fuses in which a firing pin and plunger are normally held -in a safety or unarmed position and when the shell containing the fuse is fired from a gun are shifted to an armed position due to the set back of the parts.

There has been considerable trouble in this kclass of fuses diie to the fact that the ring 1 pin and plunger lmember are not always positively locked` so that they will act as one piece and fire the primerwhen the impact comes as the shell or projectile hits anything while in flight. This difficulty is overcome by my invention.

. .My device is also better adapted to stand vthe rumble, jolt or drop tests without armingybecause the locking pin is not adapted to be sheared and will merely act as a spring member and keep the plunger and firing pin apartV in the unarmed position. rIhe plunger and firing pin can therefore not be locked together until the requisite number of poundsvpressure required to do this is eX- erted by fringthe shell from the gun. The firing pin is also always positively locked tothe plunger byV means of the locking pin whichis not sheared, but sprung into a nonreleasable position in the plunger.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein,-

. 4Figure 1 is a cross section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig.v 2 is a longitudinal section of my fuse showing the firing pin *f in an unarmed position. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4

is a longitudinal section of my fuse showing the ring'pin locked to the plunger in armed position following the ring of the shell from the gun. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of my fuse showing the ring pin in locked position and piercing the explosive element as the shell hits an object while in Hight. Fig. 6 is a detail of the ring pin.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led January 24, 1918.

In the drawings 7 is a casing having chamber 8 in which a plunger 9 is adapted to slide. The casing 7 is threaded at 10 and has wrench holes 11 whereby it may be screwed into position in the end of the shell orprojectile. Clamped to Ythe opposite end of the casing from the wrench holes 11 is an explosive element 12.

The plunger member9 has a central paesage 13 for its entire length and at the outer end, which lies nearer the wrench holes 11, a comparatively shallow passage 14 of much larger diameter than 13 and immediately adjacent topassage 14, another passage 15 of larger diameter than 14 and materially deeper. The joiningofpassage 14 to the passage 15 forms a locking shoulder 19.

A ring pin 16 adapted to loosely fit passage 13 is held therein against passing through by means of a locking pin 17 which rests against the outer end, of the plunger 9. The firing pin 16 also has a pointed or piercing member 18 von the opposite end of the firing pin from the locking pin 17.

The percussion fuse having been assembled will normally be in the position shown in Fig. 2 and is then ready for insertion in the end of the shell or projectile in which it is to be used. This is accomplished by means of the threads 10 which engage threads in the end of the shell or projectile and a wrench may be used in the wrench holes 11 for turning the fuse down into position. In this assembled position the plunger 9 and the firing pin 16 will have a slight play. This is known as the unarmed or normal position and the firing pin 18 of the ring pin 16 is held by means of the lockingpin 17 against projection beyond the plunger 9 in which it is thus incased as a guard member.

As the shell or projectile is fired from the gun in which it is used the sudden set back of the plunger 9 will bend the locking pin 17 sufficiently so that it will pass through the passage 14 into thel passage '15 which is of larger diameter than 14 and will allow` said locking pin to partially spring back so that its ends will be firmly pressed against the shoulder 19 thereby effecting a positive locking of the firing pin to the plunger and throwing the firing pin 18 into armed posi-- tion as shown in Fig. 4. The locking pin tinuous set back to the plunger. As the shell or projectile hits'something While in flight, the plunger' and -iring pin locked thereto are practicallysimultaneously thrown forward because of the impact causing the armed firing pin to pierce the explosive element igniting the same Which in turn ignites the explosive contained in the shell or projectile, thereby causingthe shell or pro-- jectile to explode.

I claim 1. In a percussion fuse for shells or projectiles the combination of a case having a chamber therein, an explosive element, a plunger body adapted to slide in said chamber having locking means, consist-ing of a retaining shoulder, a firing pin body extending into the plunger body, a resilient locking pin adapted to engage the retaining shoulder and to positively lock the ring pin to the plunger in an armed position.

2. In a percussion iuse for shells or projectiles the combination of a case having a chamber therein, an explosive element, a plunger body adapted to slide in said chamber and having three communicating central v` passages the smallest extending through the' plunger the second at one end and of larger diameter but of slight depth and adjacent to the second the third of slightly larger diameter than the second and of material depth,` a firing pin body normally extending through the second and third passages and into the smallest, a locking pin passing through the firing pin at right langles to its longitudinal axis and of greater length than the diameter of the central passages.

3. In a percussion fuse for shells or projectiles the combination of a case having a chamber therein, an explosive element, a plunger body adapted to slide in said chamber and having locking means, consisting of a retaining shoulder formed in said plunger, a yfiring pin body extending into the plunger body, a locking pinv adapted in coperation With the locking means to look the tiring pin to the plunger in an armed position.

4. In a percussion fuse for shells orprojectiles the combination of a case yhaving a chamber therein, an explosive element, a plunger body adapted to slide in said. chamber andv having a central .passage therethrough, a second shallow one of larger diameterand athird one of larger diameterthan the second and materially deeper thereby forming lockingI means, a firing pin body vextending into the plunger body, a resilient locking pin adapted in cooperation With the locking means to lock the ring pin to the plunger in an armed position.

r5. In a percussion fuse for shells the combination of an explosive element, a casing hav- -ing a chamber, a plunger adapted to slide in said chamber having a central passage its entire length, a second passage at the outer end of the plunger of slight depth and larger diameter than the first passage, a

third passage adjacent to the second of.

larger diameter and materially deeper, a retaining shou'lderli-ormed by the juncture of the second and third passages, a firing pin extending into the plunger, a locking pin passing through the firing pin at right angles to its longitudinal axis and longer than the diameter of the three plunger ypassages.

6. In a percussion fuse for shells the coinbination of an explosive element, a casing having a chamber, a plunger adapted to slide in said chamber having acentral pas` sage its entire length, a second passage at v the outer end of the plunger of slight depth and larger diameter than the first passage, a third passage adjacent tothe second of larger diameter and materially deeper, a retaining shoulder formed by the juncture of the second andthird passages, a firing pin extending into thel plunger, a locking pin passing through the ring pin at right angles to its-longitudinal axis andV longer; than the ldiameter of the three yplunger pas- 'j retaining vshoulder formed bythe *juncture of the second and Athird passages,v a firing pin normally sheathed in the plunger yand held against arming by a resilient locking pin passing'through the irin'g pin at right angles to its longitudinal axis. Y

8. In a percussion fuse for shells the combination of an explosive'element, a casing having av chamber, a plunger adapted "to slide in said chamber having yacentralpas-l sage its entirelength, a ysecond passagev at the outer'end of the plunger of slight depth,

and larger diameter than the first passage, a

third passage adj acent "to Athe second rof larger diameter and m'ateriallyfdeepe'r, a"v retaining shoulder formed by the 'juncture of the second and third passages, a-ring'pjin,

a resilient locking pin carried by said 'liring I pin and adapted to normally'retain,` it in sheathed position and upon firing to engage the retaining shoulder and lock the 4firing pin to the plunger in armed position.

9. In a percussion fuse for shells the combination of an explosive element, a casing having a chamber, a plunger adapted to slide in said chamber having a central passage its entire length, a second passage at the gouter end of'thevplunger of slight depth and larger diameter than the first passage, a ythird passage adjacent to the second of l larger diameter and materially deeper, a retaining shoulder formed by the juncture of the second and third passages, a firing pin, a locking pin carried by said firing pin and adapted to normally retain it in sheathed position and upon firing to lock the ring `v pin to the plungerinarmed position, springing the locking pin into a locked position with the ends of said pin rigidly bound against the shoulder formed by the juncture of the second and third passages.

10. In a percussion fuse for shells or projectiles the combination of a case having a chamber therein, an explosive element, a plunger body adapted to slide in said chamber, and having a locking shoulder, a firing pin body extending into the plunger body, a locking pin adapted in coperation With the locking shoulder to lock the firing pin to the plunger in an armed position.

In testimony whereof I alx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

. FRANCIS DAVIES.

Witnesses:

G. A. ANDERSON, FRANK WAGNER.

-, Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ot Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

